Family Distributor Stakes Claim to Business Milestone

Article
Jul 1, 2004

Family Distributor Stakes Claim to Business
Milestone

By John Filippelli

"We have a saying here that, when you buy from Dolan &
Traynor, you get Dolan & Traynor," he explains.
In fact, Traynor, a second-generation principal of the distribution
company along with second-generation partners Mike Dolan, executive
v.p.; v.p. Tim Dolan; v.p. Steve Wilkinson and co-founder and
executive consultant John Traynor strives to convey the company's
commitment to its customers' needs, whether it be timely
deliveries, fabrication tutorials or free sales training, he
suggests.

As a result, the company, which bills itself as a "marketing
distributor of quality building products and plumbing specialties,"
is celebrating its 50th year of catering to manufacturers, dealers
and consumers.

"In the 1960s, we started calling ourselves a 'marketing
distributor,' and the notion was that we wanted to be the kind of
distributor that we couldn't find when we were out trying to sell
our wares. Therefore, we are not just a distribution company
breaking bulk with trucks. We will also do the marketing for our
manufacturers," he says.

"[It has created a good situation because] customers get our
full attention and commitment and, in return, we are able to have
an exclusive relationship within a given territory," he adds.

For example, the company has not only forged a relationship with
DuPont Corian that has stretched over some 30 years, but Dolan
& Traynor is DuPont's authorized distributor in the New York
and New Jersey metro areas, as well as the Hudson Valley and Albany
areas.

"We didn't have dealers as customers in the early days," he
says. "Therefore, distributing DuPont Corian was a real departure
for us. I think DuPont took a chance [by asking us] to try and sell
a product to dealers and retailers that was considered heavy and
expensive. But, now we look back and think they were pretty smart,"
he offers, adding that Dolan & Traynor's territory for
distributing DuPont was initially limited to northern New
Jersey.

As further evidence, not only does the company stock over 40
leading product lines in its 41,000-square-foot facility, but "we
now have 700 to 800 dealers on our computer system as customers,
friends or customers of customers," Traynor adds.

Maintaining these relationships, however, would not be possible,
Traynor believes, were it not for the company's staff of 65
employees, which includes a specialized sales and marketing force,
certified DuPont instructors and professional installation
associates.

Traynor concludes the company also sets itself apart by offering
a fleet of 14 trucks for overnight delivery, as well as offering
CAD capabilities for quick turnaround times for submittals and
approval drawings.

Bridging the gap
For Traynor, there are several key parts of the company that allow
it to best fulfill the needs of its customers.
"For one, we have a very strong technical and product-oriented
group of employees, including three DuPont-certified instructors,"
he explains. "From the standpoint of offering technical advice to
those who fabricate, we have the capability to do that on the local
level, whereas the manufacturer would not be able to have someone
in the field all the time to do that," he offers.

Additionally, the company's large inventory which includes
Speakman Co. and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co., both of which have been
represented by Dolan & Traynor for 50 years also sets it apart
from the competition, Traynor believes.

"We inventory products that other companies like us don't
inventory. So, if you have it and can get it to someone very
quickly, that is something customers value," he stresses.

He adds that the firm's sales and marketing force is segmented
by commercial, remodel or new construction accounts to be sure that
clients get the benefit of expertise geared to their specific
area.

Traynor admits, "We are certainly not perfect, but we make up
for mistakes when they occur. Sometimes, I think that when you make
a mistake, you can make a friend for life depending on how you
handle it."

Well-done stake
A crucial part of the company's mission statement is the concept of
treating its customers, manufacturers and employees as
"stakeholders" in the company, Traynor points out.

"Our entire company concluded that manufacturers who choose us
to be their exclusive supplier have a stake in us and we in them.
Our goal is for the manufacturers to say 'We don't want anyone but
Dolan and Traynor.' By so doing, we hope our customers view us as
invaluable," he says.

He continues: "For our employees, we strive to be a great place
where they can work and learn, and we have fun doing it
together."

"Overall, we want to concentrate on profitable growth,
continuous improvement in our business and, as much as we can,
provide exceptional service," he adds.

Product choices
Traynor and the other principals of the company have developed a
very simple formula for deciding which product lines to endorse, he
explains. "What we try to do is represent either the number one or
number two brand or manufacturer in that particular product
category," he states.

But, he is quick to point out, this was not always the case
especially in terms of the company's partnership with DuPont
Corian

"DuPont originally came knocking on our door because they were
looking to expand their Corian bath vanity business. We took a
chance and they brought us into a whole different world. We have
been fortunate to experience growth with them," he says.

He adds: "As a result, we went from literally nothing to a very
significant sales volume that we do to this day. Also, we were able
to grow our territory from northern New Jersey to 37 counties,
including northern New Jersey, New York City, Long Island,
Westchester, and the entire Hudson Valley all the way up through
Albany."

He adds that the company offers a division of commercial bath
products called 'Section 10," which consists of vanity tops, bowls,
toilet partitions, grab bars, mirrors and baby-changing
stations.

To maintain this success, Traynor notes that the company will
honor warranties of the lines that his company carries.
"If a customer has an issue and solving it means going beyond a
warranty, you do it," he says. "In the case of DuPont Corian
surfaces, we are able to offer through the dealer a fully
installed, 10-year warranty. That means we will replace materials
and pay for the labor to remove and replace or repair the
countertop for up to 10 years as long as the product is installed
by a certified fabricator or installer," he states.

He concludes: "We have a whole system in place to handle
warranty claims, and that is part of the total package that we
offer."

Setting the mark
Traynor adds that Dolan & Traynor implements unique marketing
practices to help promote its customer base, as well as the company
itself.

"One of the things we try to do is promote the need and desire
for the various products that we handle," he explains. "At the
architectural and engineering level, you need to educate the
specifier or mechanical contractor as to the benefits of that
product."

To better educate his clients, Traynor notes that the company
has also offered sales training, product training and technical
training to the company's clients with no additional charge
incurred for the service.

"We try to offer events that are designed to get you out in
front of people and have a little bit of fun," he says. "For
instance, we've held one-day events that have attracted close to
400 people, where we rent out an entire ballroom and have product
displays and entertainment," he adds.

He continues: "The goal is that your company constantly tries to
stay connected to your customers as best you can."
Traynor notes that the company also has a large advertising
program, where it will reward either long-time or large-volume
customers by spotlighting that client's product line in Dolan &
Traynor advertisements.

He explains: "These are things that we do as a 'thank you.' The
customers are thrilled to see their name in print, and we are
thrilled to know that, when a consumer buys a kitchen, they may be
preferential to products that we sell."

Traynor adds that he and the management team of Dolan &
Traynor have also recently taken strategic steps to ensure that the
company's next 50 years are just as successful as its first.

"We have currently engaged a well-known professional consulting
firm to help measure ourselves against where we are and where we
want to be. We're looking at every opportunity to continue growing
from potential acquisitions, to diversification, to strategic
alliances. I think the future looks bright, but it is dependent
upon changing world events,
the economy and whether your products and services stay relevant in
a changing environment," he reveals.

The bottom line, he believes, is that, "Getting a customer is
relatively easy. Keeping a customer is harder still. Keeping a
customer happy is the hardest part especially when you have
long-term relationships with them!"